HISTORY has been made as a teenager has received the last Queen’s Scout before it changes name following the accession of King Charles.
Knutsford Scout Amber Houghton, 19, has received the Queen’s Scout Award from Tony Leadbetter, 85, who earned his highly regarded award in 1953.
The Queen’s Scout Award is the top achievement for Scouts and is closely linked to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award, which must be achieved before the Queen’s Scout Award can be earned.
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Tony, president of Knutsford Scouts, said: ‘Amber is the last Scout in Knutsford who will earn this award.
“With the Queen’s passing, the award will be renamed The King’s Scout Award.”
Tony joined 1st Knutsford Scouts in 1946, when he was eight.
Over the next decade, he completed all the challenges required to earn his Queen’s Scout Award, which was presented to him by Lord Llewellyn, then Chief Scout.
In 1954, Tony travelled to Windsor Castle, where the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret took the Scout salute from all those who had achieved their award.
Amber will be invited to a similar event at Windsor in 2023, though it is not known which member of the royal family will be in attendance.
She joined 5th Knutsford Cub Scouts when she was nine.
Amber said: ”I just had a go at everything open to me.
“I was selected to attend the World Scout Jamboree in the USA in 2019, along with five Knutsford District Explorer Scouts, and that was an incredible, unforgettable experience.
“It wasn’t until I read the certificate and held the Queen’s Scout badge that I realised what a huge accomplishment this is.
“Scouts has given me access to adventures and experiences and to lifelong friends I would never have had otherwise met.”
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